MusicatlasMusic
His more than eighty compositions include four operas on his own libretti, three symphonies, several overtures and symphonic poems, concertos for various instruments, including of course, the organ and the piano. The Concertstück in D major Op 11, an early virtuoso piece was recorded on Hyperion CDA66877 (The Romantic Piano Concerto No. 13, with Glazunov 1 + 2). In later years Gedike wrote several cantatas and overtures with titles that refer to heroic feats of the Soviet people. He also wrote numerous exercises and transcriptions for piano and organ.
Literature:
B. Levik, Alexander Gedike, Moscow, 1947 (not consulted)
L. Roizman, Sovetskaya Muzyka, 1952 No. 4, p. 108, on the occasion of his 75th birthday.
Sovetskaya Muzyka, 1957 No. 9, p. 160, obituary.
Life
His birth day in the old Russian calender is 20 February.
Introduction:
Alexander Gedike was mainly known in Russia as a teacher and performer (piano and organ), but he also left a substantial number of compositions.
Life:
Aleksandr Fyodorovich Gedike was born on February 20, 1877 (old style calendar) into a musical familiy of German descent. His name is sometimes spelled Goedicke, however, already his great-grandfather worked in Moscow as a musician. Gedike got his first piano lessons from his father who taught at the Moscow conservatory. From 1892-8 he studied there; among his teachers were Pabst and Safonov for piano and Arensky for composition. As a composer he also profited from his acquaintance with Taneyev. In 1900 won the first prize at the third international Rubinstein competition in Vienna, playing his own piano concerto. He earned his living as concert pianist till he was appointed as professor for piano at the Moscow conservatory in 1909. After 1919 he also taught chamber music. In 1923 he became principal teacher for organ and it is as interpreter of Bach’s organ works, that he is chiefly remembered in Russia. During his long life Gedike was awarded several honors, including the Stalin Prize.
